Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section sixteen of Deirdre by James Stevens. This LibriVox recording
is in the public domain. Read by Michel Frye Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
Book two, chapters eleven and twelve, Chapter eleven. It is
(00:22):
as you thought, master, said Leversham. The girl is ruined.
You saw her. Her cheeks are hollow and her eyes
are red. One would pity her, master, Indeed, I shall
go to see her tomorrow. You did not want to
see her any more, said the king. It was so,
(00:43):
she replied humbly. But my heart was wrung when I
looked on her wretchedness. And the young man. They are
stout young men, master, And the guards that I posted,
they were at their posts. Therein is the tale and
seven of my poor years, said Guanahor. What did she
(01:04):
look like? Woman? She is thin and haggard, and she
leaned by the table, as though all the weariness of
the world were in her sides. Thus said Kanahor, And
we fash ourselves for these things, and spend our years
and our pith fill my cup. Leversham. Let the years
(01:25):
go and the rest, for we are fools and children.
Get to your rest, friend, and let me more in
my foolish years and all my nonsense. Nay, go to
your bed also, sweet king, said Leversham. You shall rest
to night, for that bad dream is ended. You will
be troubled no more. Tomorrow will be a new day,
(01:47):
and all that the world has is for the king.
It is so, said ganohor this will be the last
of those nights. Go to your bed, good soul, and
I shall go to mine. In a moment, Laversham left
the palace, with her mind in a turmoil of weariness
and fear, but with hope dawning in her soul. She
(02:09):
sent secret runners to the men of Ishnach and to
those of Fergus mac Roy, warning them that their chiefs
were in urgent danger. And when she slept, she was
too happy even to remember what the king might do
when he discovered her treachery. That memory would be for
the morrow. But the King did not sleep. I shall
(02:31):
wake the report of that guard, he said, and then
I will be able to sleep. The guard came moaning
and limping. What ails you man, said the astonished king Nicheshut.
The guard stammered, he has knocked out my eye. He
moved his hand from his face, and there was one
eye there, and a bloody mess where the others should
(02:52):
have been. Did I not tell you the King's stormed
that they were murderous men? Did you take no heed
in your work? It was the woman saw me, the
guard stammered, she told the man, And before I could move,
he threw a chess man at me and knocked out
my eye. My leg is broken too, Master, for I
(03:13):
fell from the window. You will make a better herdsman
than soldier, said the king harshly. You are one legged,
one eyed, and stupid. Go to your bed, and be
careful that you do not cut your throat by taking
off your boots. What did the woman look like? What woman, majesty?
(03:33):
The woman I sent you to look at. She looked
like the woman I saw in the crystal, I know
she did. What did she look like, fool? She looked
like the most beautiful woman in the world. Conohor turned
his great head and wide eyes on the soldier. Be
(03:55):
careful how you report to me, guard? How did that
woman look? Is she thin faced? Is she pale and
haggard and wretched? She is not, majesty. She is red
lipped and sweet eyed and delicious. She is the loveliest
woman that moves in the world. Sit on that stool.
(04:15):
Do not mind your eye for a moment. We shall
mind it for you in a little while. Answer my questions.
Did that woman look young or old? She looked young
as a bride. Are her cheeks thin? They are not thin,
They are round and rosy. Are her eyes red and sunken?
They are clear as sweet water? Majesty, they are colored.
(04:39):
But for looking into them, I should have got away.
For having looked, I could not but keep on looking
until Nisia threw his chest. Man, you are muddled, said
Cono Hoor sternly. I would give my other eye for
another look at her, said the guard savagely. Conhor leaped
furiously to his feet. You shall be cared for, he said,
(05:01):
Go to your bed. A doctor shall be sent to you.
A comrade will help you along. Ho there, he thundered,
Ho there the guards Chapter twelve, What are you here?
Are don big feet, and a big lot of them.
The doors are well secured, Every bolt is drawn, and
(05:25):
the door we arranged for is left with only one
bolt shot. Yes, it is a quick, well oiled boat.
It will open and close again like lightning. There came
a loud command, and in a moment a thundering knock.
Nisha strode to the door. Who goes there? The king's men,
What do you want? We want the woman who is
(05:47):
with you. Is that all you want? And we want Nisha,
the son of Ishnak. They're both here, said Nisha, open
this door. The voice commanded, ah hah ah ah. No,
laughed Nisha, why should we do your business, honest man.
There was no reply for a moment, but the rumble
(06:09):
of conversation could be heard. Then the voice came again.
You others, an La and Ardan and the sons of Fergus,
open this door and you shall go free. Nisha looked
gravely at his companions. That is the necessary second part,
said Boignia, hitching his sword belt round. Niza's brothers took
(06:32):
no notice, but their faces grew savage, and their eyes
narrowed and sparkled. Iolein and Deirdre keep an eye on
the windows, Nisha warned. Ioleen dangled a sling in his hand,
and Deirdre held another with a copper bolt in it. If,
said the voice, the woman Deirdre comes out, we will
(06:52):
go away. Wash the windows. Nisha warned, they are talking
to keep us occupied. Deirdre's arms swung viciously, and a
wild yell told that the boat had gone home. I
thought so, said Nichee. They cannot get in through the
windows because of the bars, but they could manage to
fly an arrow through. Although it would be an awkward shut, Why,
(07:16):
said Alah, We could go to sleep here. A series
of thundering knocks came on the door a ram, said Boigne.
Half an hour of that might bring down even these doors,
said Nisha. He turned to his companions, Ardan, yours will
be the first sortie. They will not be prepared, lad,
(07:38):
for it is very awkward to work a ram and
to keep guard at the same time. Do not mind
the men with the ram. They will be unarmed, but
behind them there will be a mass of men. You
know how deep a fighter can penetrate. It depends on
his own weight. The instant you touch that weight, fight backwards.
When you are two yards from the door on the
(07:59):
wle shot, then turn and run. I shall have the
door closed on you almost before you are through. The
moment the door slams you, Boionia, push in the bottom bolt.
I shall slide the middle one with my right hand
and will be reaching for the top one with my left.
You are ready, Ardan, listen to me. The men immediately
in front of you will give back a step until
(08:21):
they start to come on. Fight therefore to the right
sidewards and with the point all the time, keep your
left covered with the shield. And if there is a
press cut with its cutting edges. The moon is high
and you will be able to see no foolhardiness boy.
The moment you touch weight, fight backwards and then sweep
(08:43):
broadly with the edge. And when on the shouts run
He turned again. Boenia, stand to the bolts, I olen
an la deirdre, place yourselves so and sling the ramsmen,
or they may cumber his retreat. Under the thundering batter
of the rain and the savage roaring of the invaders,
the boats were half drawn. Ready, all, said Nisha. Ready Ardan.
(09:09):
Ardan hunched the shield to his left side and crouched staring.
Good boy, said Nisha. Now buoigna pull. The heaved the
great door wide, and Ardan went through like an arrow,
slaying the children, said Nisha, keep me informed an lah
I must stick behind the door. He is at them
and well in ah, said Anlah, and he slung shrewdly.
(09:33):
He has forgotten to thrust and is cutting My thanks
island for that bolt. His shield work is excellent, brother,
but he will cut. There is his limit if he
knows it. He is fighting back, and now he is
thrusting where he should use the sweeping blade for a
retreat that ramseman islend this one for me and you, sister,
for the crouching man. I shall shout now, Ardan, he roared.
(09:59):
The boy dropped combat as a dog drops a toad.
In three seconds he was through the doorway, and in
four the door had slammed. Nisha towered long and lean
over his young brother. Good lad, he said, well done, Ardan.
I killed a million, said Ardan. A savage, raging yell
(10:20):
came from without. They will begin to warm to it now,
said Nisha, and we must keep them occupied. It is
your turn. An La, give your sling to Ardan. On
the whizzed at one window and Deirdre at another. Two
loud shouts were heard. Whether they are hit or not.
Their skulls are cracked by the fall, said Nisha. But
(10:41):
the windows do not matter. Come to this door. Why
cannot I go out, said Boignere. You and I are
the heaviest metal lie heart, and when the real fighting
commences we shall have plenty to do. This is only
a little fun for the boys. Anla, listen carefully. You
will slip out by this door and will run and
(11:03):
fight as you run. Range where you please, but run
always in five minutes. Do not delay, on La, make
for yonder door. This one will be shut, and the
Sling's men will be inside that door to cover your retreat.
It is understood. Ala nodded and made his blade whistle
through the air. He heaved the shield from his back
(11:26):
to his shoulder. The instant you are in, on La,
fly to this door again while we close the other
behind you. Open all the bolts but one. Boren, you
will help, and I and Ireland will dart out for
five minutes. I wish to see what arrangements they are making.
Are you protecting my brother, said Bunia savagely. No, my heart,
(11:48):
I am giving him a run, spying their dispositions. I
claim this combat, said the rough young man. You shall
have one immediately afterwards. You and I together will make
the tour of this fortress shoulder to shoulder, Boynia, who
will that not content you, Nisha laughed. I was beginning
to feel lonely, said Boynia. We shall have a pleasant run.
(12:12):
Ten minutes for our run, said Nisha. Ready. An Lah,
his brother nodded, run straight out, thirty feet out. If
you can double then as you please, remember the door.
You are to come in by and do all the
damage you can. If you are in difficulty, give our call.
I could not get into difficulty in five minutes, Anla smiled.
(12:37):
Ready Boignia pull on las, sped out, and the door
slammed on him like thunder. The uproar without had been terrific,
but now it redoubled, and at times a long scream
topped the noise as spray tops the wave. We cannot
see our brother, said dear Joh nervously. We know his work,
(12:58):
Nisha replied. He is as safe for five minutes as
if he were in bed. Your combat, Nisha, she breathed,
it will be the easiest of them all. There will
be a rough companion with me. Run all to the
other door, he cried, Aileen, derdre art on your slings.
The boat's bornie. Pull my soul far out in the moonlight,
(13:23):
Arnola was coursing like a deer. The moon flashed on
his blade and on his shield. Men ran from him,
and men ran to head him off. And into the
middle of these he went diving like a fish. A
band from the right came rushing for the open door.
Out Bonnia for ten seconds and back. When he is through,
(13:44):
Nisha and Boonya leaped out with whirling weapons. There was
a clatter of shields, a medley of shouts and curses,
and in ten seconds they were in again, and the
door was closed. You opened a minute too early, said Anla.
I was all. You did some damage, not badly. You
didn't kill as many as I did, said Ardan Pooh.
(14:07):
Anla retorted, no one could kill as many as you
except Kokulin. Let us arrange the next sortie, said Nitshe.
End of section sixteen.
Section sixteen of Deirdre by James Stevens. This LibriVox recording
is in the public domain. Read by Michel Frye Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
Book two, chapters eleven and twelve, Chapter eleven. It is
(00:22):
as you thought, master, said Leversham. The girl is ruined.
You saw her. Her cheeks are hollow and her eyes
are red. One would pity her, master, Indeed, I shall
go to see her tomorrow. You did not want to
see her any more, said the king. It was so,
(00:43):
she replied humbly. But my heart was wrung when I
looked on her wretchedness. And the young man. They are
stout young men, master, And the guards that I posted,
they were at their posts. Therein is the tale and
seven of my poor years, said Guanahor. What did she
(01:04):
look like? Woman? She is thin and haggard, and she
leaned by the table, as though all the weariness of
the world were in her sides. Thus said Kanahor, And
we fash ourselves for these things, and spend our years
and our pith fill my cup. Leversham. Let the years
(01:25):
go and the rest, for we are fools and children.
Get to your rest, friend, and let me more in
my foolish years and all my nonsense. Nay, go to
your bed also, sweet king, said Leversham. You shall rest
to night, for that bad dream is ended. You will
be troubled no more. Tomorrow will be a new day,
(01:47):
and all that the world has is for the king.
It is so, said ganohor this will be the last
of those nights. Go to your bed, good soul, and
I shall go to mine. In a moment, Laversham left
the palace, with her mind in a turmoil of weariness
and fear, but with hope dawning in her soul. She
(02:09):
sent secret runners to the men of Ishnach and to
those of Fergus mac Roy, warning them that their chiefs
were in urgent danger. And when she slept, she was
too happy even to remember what the king might do
when he discovered her treachery. That memory would be for
the morrow. But the King did not sleep. I shall
(02:31):
wake the report of that guard, he said, and then
I will be able to sleep. The guard came moaning
and limping. What ails you man, said the astonished king Nicheshut.
The guard stammered, he has knocked out my eye. He
moved his hand from his face, and there was one
eye there, and a bloody mess where the others should
(02:52):
have been. Did I not tell you the King's stormed
that they were murderous men? Did you take no heed
in your work? It was the woman saw me, the
guard stammered, she told the man, And before I could move,
he threw a chess man at me and knocked out
my eye. My leg is broken too, Master, for I
(03:13):
fell from the window. You will make a better herdsman
than soldier, said the king harshly. You are one legged,
one eyed, and stupid. Go to your bed, and be
careful that you do not cut your throat by taking
off your boots. What did the woman look like? What woman, majesty?
(03:33):
The woman I sent you to look at. She looked
like the woman I saw in the crystal, I know
she did. What did she look like, fool? She looked
like the most beautiful woman in the world. Conohor turned
his great head and wide eyes on the soldier. Be
(03:55):
careful how you report to me, guard? How did that
woman look? Is she thin faced? Is she pale and
haggard and wretched? She is not, majesty. She is red
lipped and sweet eyed and delicious. She is the loveliest
woman that moves in the world. Sit on that stool.
(04:15):
Do not mind your eye for a moment. We shall
mind it for you in a little while. Answer my questions.
Did that woman look young or old? She looked young
as a bride. Are her cheeks thin? They are not thin,
They are round and rosy. Are her eyes red and sunken?
They are clear as sweet water? Majesty, they are colored.
(04:39):
But for looking into them, I should have got away.
For having looked, I could not but keep on looking
until Nisia threw his chest. Man, you are muddled, said
Cono Hoor sternly. I would give my other eye for
another look at her, said the guard savagely. Conhor leaped
furiously to his feet. You shall be cared for, he said,
(05:01):
Go to your bed. A doctor shall be sent to you.
A comrade will help you along. Ho there, he thundered,
Ho there the guards Chapter twelve, What are you here?
Are don big feet, and a big lot of them.
The doors are well secured, Every bolt is drawn, and
(05:25):
the door we arranged for is left with only one
bolt shot. Yes, it is a quick, well oiled boat.
It will open and close again like lightning. There came
a loud command, and in a moment a thundering knock.
Nisha strode to the door. Who goes there? The king's men,
What do you want? We want the woman who is
(05:47):
with you. Is that all you want? And we want Nisha,
the son of Ishnak. They're both here, said Nisha, open
this door. The voice commanded, ah hah ah ah. No,
laughed Nisha, why should we do your business, honest man.
There was no reply for a moment, but the rumble
(06:09):
of conversation could be heard. Then the voice came again.
You others, an La and Ardan and the sons of Fergus,
open this door and you shall go free. Nisha looked
gravely at his companions. That is the necessary second part,
said Boignia, hitching his sword belt round. Niza's brothers took
(06:32):
no notice, but their faces grew savage, and their eyes
narrowed and sparkled. Iolein and Deirdre keep an eye on
the windows, Nisha warned. Ioleen dangled a sling in his hand,
and Deirdre held another with a copper bolt in it. If,
said the voice, the woman Deirdre comes out, we will
(06:52):
go away. Wash the windows. Nisha warned, they are talking
to keep us occupied. Deirdre's arms swung viciously, and a
wild yell told that the boat had gone home. I
thought so, said Nichee. They cannot get in through the
windows because of the bars, but they could manage to
fly an arrow through. Although it would be an awkward shut, Why,
(07:16):
said Alah, We could go to sleep here. A series
of thundering knocks came on the door a ram, said Boigne.
Half an hour of that might bring down even these doors,
said Nisha. He turned to his companions, Ardan, yours will
be the first sortie. They will not be prepared, lad,
(07:38):
for it is very awkward to work a ram and
to keep guard at the same time. Do not mind
the men with the ram. They will be unarmed, but
behind them there will be a mass of men. You
know how deep a fighter can penetrate. It depends on
his own weight. The instant you touch that weight, fight backwards.
When you are two yards from the door on the
(07:59):
wle shot, then turn and run. I shall have the
door closed on you almost before you are through. The
moment the door slams you, Boionia, push in the bottom bolt.
I shall slide the middle one with my right hand
and will be reaching for the top one with my left.
You are ready, Ardan, listen to me. The men immediately
in front of you will give back a step until
(08:21):
they start to come on. Fight therefore to the right
sidewards and with the point all the time, keep your
left covered with the shield. And if there is a
press cut with its cutting edges. The moon is high
and you will be able to see no foolhardiness boy.
The moment you touch weight, fight backwards and then sweep
(08:43):
broadly with the edge. And when on the shouts run
He turned again. Boenia, stand to the bolts, I olen
an la deirdre, place yourselves so and sling the ramsmen,
or they may cumber his retreat. Under the thundering batter
of the rain and the savage roaring of the invaders,
the boats were half drawn. Ready, all, said Nisha. Ready Ardan.
(09:09):
Ardan hunched the shield to his left side and crouched staring.
Good boy, said Nisha. Now buoigna pull. The heaved the
great door wide, and Ardan went through like an arrow,
slaying the children, said Nisha, keep me informed an lah
I must stick behind the door. He is at them
and well in ah, said Anlah, and he slung shrewdly.
(09:33):
He has forgotten to thrust and is cutting My thanks
island for that bolt. His shield work is excellent, brother,
but he will cut. There is his limit if he
knows it. He is fighting back, and now he is
thrusting where he should use the sweeping blade for a
retreat that ramseman islend this one for me and you, sister,
for the crouching man. I shall shout now, Ardan, he roared.
(09:59):
The boy dropped combat as a dog drops a toad.
In three seconds he was through the doorway, and in
four the door had slammed. Nisha towered long and lean
over his young brother. Good lad, he said, well done, Ardan.
I killed a million, said Ardan. A savage, raging yell
(10:20):
came from without. They will begin to warm to it now,
said Nisha, and we must keep them occupied. It is
your turn. An La, give your sling to Ardan. On
the whizzed at one window and Deirdre at another. Two
loud shouts were heard. Whether they are hit or not.
Their skulls are cracked by the fall, said Nisha. But
(10:41):
the windows do not matter. Come to this door. Why
cannot I go out, said Boignere. You and I are
the heaviest metal lie heart, and when the real fighting
commences we shall have plenty to do. This is only
a little fun for the boys. Anla, listen carefully. You
will slip out by this door and will run and
(11:03):
fight as you run. Range where you please, but run
always in five minutes. Do not delay, on La, make
for yonder door. This one will be shut, and the
Sling's men will be inside that door to cover your retreat.
It is understood. Ala nodded and made his blade whistle
through the air. He heaved the shield from his back
(11:26):
to his shoulder. The instant you are in, on La,
fly to this door again while we close the other
behind you. Open all the bolts but one. Boren, you
will help, and I and Ireland will dart out for
five minutes. I wish to see what arrangements they are making.
Are you protecting my brother, said Bunia savagely. No, my heart,
(11:48):
I am giving him a run, spying their dispositions. I
claim this combat, said the rough young man. You shall
have one immediately afterwards. You and I together will make
the tour of this fortress shoulder to shoulder, Boynia, who
will that not content you, Nisha laughed. I was beginning
to feel lonely, said Boynia. We shall have a pleasant run.
(12:12):
Ten minutes for our run, said Nisha. Ready. An Lah,
his brother nodded, run straight out, thirty feet out. If
you can double then as you please, remember the door.
You are to come in by and do all the
damage you can. If you are in difficulty, give our call.
I could not get into difficulty in five minutes, Anla smiled.
(12:37):
Ready Boignia pull on las, sped out, and the door
slammed on him like thunder. The uproar without had been terrific,
but now it redoubled, and at times a long scream
topped the noise as spray tops the wave. We cannot
see our brother, said dear Joh nervously. We know his work,
(12:58):
Nisha replied. He is as safe for five minutes as
if he were in bed. Your combat, Nisha, she breathed,
it will be the easiest of them all. There will
be a rough companion with me. Run all to the
other door, he cried, Aileen, derdre art on your slings.
The boat's bornie. Pull my soul far out in the moonlight,
(13:23):
Arnola was coursing like a deer. The moon flashed on
his blade and on his shield. Men ran from him,
and men ran to head him off. And into the
middle of these he went diving like a fish. A
band from the right came rushing for the open door.
Out Bonnia for ten seconds and back. When he is through,
(13:44):
Nisha and Boonya leaped out with whirling weapons. There was
a clatter of shields, a medley of shouts and curses,
and in ten seconds they were in again, and the
door was closed. You opened a minute too early, said Anla.
I was all. You did some damage, not badly. You
didn't kill as many as I did, said Ardan Pooh.
(14:07):
Anla retorted, no one could kill as many as you
except Kokulin. Let us arrange the next sortie, said Nitshe.
End of section sixteen.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.